Syama Prasad Mookerjee bust vandalised in Kolkata ahead of Amit Shah visit
Synopsis
Hours before Home Minister Amit Shah landed in Kolkata for Syama Prasad Mookerjee's 125th birth anniversary, a newly installed bust of the Jana Sangh founder was vandalised on Sukea Street — sharpening political tensions in a state already on edge. Police are examining CCTV footage; the BJP has filed a complaint and condemned the act.
Key Takeaways
A bust of Syama Prasad Mookerjee on Sukea Street , central Kolkata , was vandalised after midnight on Sunday, 6 July .
The altar's lower portion was broken and the name plaque damaged, just hours before Union Home Minister Amit Shah's scheduled arrival.
Kolkata Police are examining CCTV footage and have launched an investigation; the incident reportedly occurred after midnight.
The Bharatiya Yuva Morcha filed a complaint at Amherst Police Station ; the BJP strongly condemned the vandalism.
Amit Shah is scheduled to lay the foundation stone of a 125-foot statue of Mookerjee at Eco Park, New Town , and attend celebrations at Biswa Bangla Mela Prangan .
6 July has been declared a state holiday to mark Mookerjee's 125th birth anniversary .
A bust of Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee was vandalised on Sukea Street in central Kolkata on Sunday, 6 July, just hours before Union Home Minister Amit Shah was scheduled to arrive in the city to mark Mookerjee's 125th birth anniversary. Police confirmed that the lower portion of the altar was found broken, with the name plaque also damaged.
What Happened at Sukea Street
The bust had been installed on Sukea Street specifically in preparation for the birth anniversary celebrations, with installation work completed on Saturday night. It was scheduled to be formally inaugurated on Monday by state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders. By Sunday morning, however, the structure was found damaged. According to a senior Kolkata Police officer, the incident took place after midnight.
CCTV footage from the area is currently being examined to identify those responsible. The police have registered a case and launched an investigation into the vandalism.
BJP's Response and Complaint Filed
The BJP strongly condemned the vandalism, calling it an act of political provocation on the eve of a nationally significant event. The Bharatiya Yuva Morcha filed a formal complaint at Amherst Police Station in connection with the incident.
BJP state president Samik Bhattacharya said, 'This is a matter of great joy for every BJP worker. It is a significant day for the workers of West Bengal, for those who have joined the BJP lately and those who have been associated with our ideology. The country's Home Minister is coming to join us in the celebrations on July 6. This is undoubtedly a historic moment.' The vandalism, coming hours before those celebrations, has deepened political tensions in the state.
Amit Shah's Kolkata Itinerary
Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to arrive at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport at 3:50 pm on Monday. He will proceed directly to Syama Prasad Mookerjee's ancestral residence in Bhowanipore, south Kolkata, to garland a statue of the Jana Sangh founder.
At 4:50 pm, Shah will travel to Eco Park in New Town, where he will lay the foundation stone of a 125-foot statue of Mookerjee. He will then join the main birth anniversary celebration at the Biswa Bangla Mela Prangan at 5:30 pm, before returning to Delhi. He will be accompanied by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari and BJP state president Samik Bhattacharya.
State Holiday and Broader Celebrations
The BJP government has declared 6 July a state holiday to mark Mookerjee's 125th birth anniversary. Several additional programmes have been organised at the party's state office on Muralidhar Sen Lane in central Kolkata. This comes amid a politically charged atmosphere in West Bengal, where the BJP and the ruling All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) have been in sustained conflict over the state's political and cultural legacy.
With Shah's visit now underway and the vandalism case under active investigation, Monday's celebrations are set to unfold under heightened security scrutiny.
Point of View
Damage discovered Sunday morning, Shah's arrival Monday afternoon — is too pointed to be coincidental in optics, even if investigators have yet to establish motive or identity. West Bengal's political landscape has long weaponised symbolic spaces, and a bust erected for a nationally televised anniversary event is precisely the kind of target that sends a message without requiring a claim of responsibility. The BJP will use this to reinforce its narrative of cultural suppression under the TMC; the TMC will demand proof before accepting that framing. What gets lost in that exchange is the basic law-and-order question: how was a freshly installed public structure vandalised within hours, in an area presumably under heightened security ahead of a Union minister's visit?
NationPress
5 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was vandalised in Kolkata ahead of Amit Shah's visit?
A bust of Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee, installed on Sukea Street in central Kolkata, was vandalised after midnight on Sunday. The lower portion of the altar was found broken and the name plaque was also damaged, hours before Home Minister Amit Shah's scheduled arrival for the 125th birth anniversary celebrations.
Why is Amit Shah visiting Kolkata on 6 July?
Amit Shah is visiting Kolkata to participate in the 125th birth anniversary celebrations of Syama Prasad Mookerjee, founder of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh. He is scheduled to garland a statue at Mookerjee's ancestral home in Bhowanipore, lay the foundation stone of a 125-foot statue at Eco Park, and attend the main event at Biswa Bangla Mela Prangan.
What action has the police taken after the vandalism?
Kolkata Police have launched an investigation and are examining CCTV footage from the Sukea Street area to identify those responsible. A senior officer confirmed the incident took place after midnight. The Bharatiya Yuva Morcha has also filed a formal complaint at Amherst Police Station.
Who will accompany Amit Shah during his Kolkata visit?
Home Minister Amit Shah will be accompanied by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari and BJP state president Samik Bhattacharya during his visit to Kolkata on 6 July.
What is the significance of 6 July in West Bengal this year?
6 July marks the 125th birth anniversary of Syama Prasad Mookerjee, founder of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh and a prominent Bengali political figure. The BJP government has declared the day a state holiday, and multiple events have been organised across Kolkata, culminating in a function at Biswa Bangla Mela Prangan attended by the Union Home Minister.
